A New Nation is Born! Southern Sudan Votes for FREEDOM

With NINETY NINE PERCENT voter turnout, the people of Southern Sudan have voted for Independence and Freedom from the islamic oppression of the north.
From Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs:

99% Vote in Southern Sudan: "Free at Last!" "Thank G-d Almighty!" "We Have a Nation"

"Everyone is drunk with happiness. People in Southern Sudan are in unity. We are one. Everyone is saying 'Hallelujah! Free at last!'" Simon Deng, moments ago.

A jubilant Simon Deng rang me from Southern Sudan just a few moments ago. The news was nothing short of a miracle. A record 99% of the Southern Sudanese people came out and voted for independence. They are free. The official results of the vote will be announced this weekend.
Simon was ebullient on the phone. If I could have frozen one moment in time, it would have been that.
What a moment! Simon was laughing. It was the sound of the divine. "If you don't believe in miracles, look to Southern Sudan. Everyone in Southern Sudan is smiling. Everyone. The country is smiling. They will be never be as happy as they are today. We are free from the victimization and islamization of the North."
"We had to sacrifice four million lives."

More:

The Southern Sudanese never lost hope. Watch Simon here in a quick video, 2005 (full remarks here). And listen to my interview with Manute Bol, the basketball great who dedicated his life and his sports earnings to freedom for southern Sudan before he died.
"Everyone is drunk with happiness. People in Southern Sudan are in unity. We are one. Everyone is saying 'hallelujah, Free at last!'"
"We thank every person in the world who has been there emotionally, who consoled us, who stood with us, who has supported Southern Sudan, who have stood with and those who stood in sympathy with the people of Sudan, we thank you. We thank everybody. We the people of Southern Sudan have no way to thank people of good will, who opened their doors to refugees, who opened their wallet to us, we thank you.
"Everyone is anxious to receive the new baby."
"And the last thing we are asking people and free nations of the world -- recognize the child that is going to be born. Be there for that child. Support that child. When the child falls down, help that child stand up. Help the child grow. Eventually we will be strong and run like a gazelle."
When I asked Simon if he thought there would be trouble, He said "Never, G-d is with us. They sacrificed, but didnt lose hope. 4 million lives perished, but they believed in tomorrow. Tomorrow is now. We have a nation."
"Nobody could believe how everybody voted. 99% turnout."


"The Northern Sudanese have already recognized the results of the vote." The turnout was overwhelming.
"The unity was solid, like a rock."
"And for anybody in the world who doesn't believe in hope, please hear it from us, keep hope alive."
The cry for freedom and results of this vote will reverberate around the world.

READ THE WHOLE THING

There's an article at Metrolic about what the new name will be and some technical issues which need to be ironed out for this new and independent nation, like the need for a new flag and national anthem. Read it HERE.

The Heritage Foundation has a great piece about what America can, and should, do to help this new free nation. EXCERPT:

Southern Sudan, one of the poorest regions in Africa, has a long road ahead. Although the viability of a prosperous nation-state may be far off, the opportunity to lay the foundations of a free and just southern Sudan is now. The vigorous diplomacy of American officials and the concerned involvement of American citizens can promote a constitutional system of government that ensures the rule of law and a robust system of checks and balances. This scenario is in the best interest of the southern Sudanese people and represents an outcome that would gratify James Madison himself—that in yet another corner of the globe, the balance between liberty and despotism is tipping toward liberty.

Here is a beautiful video by Yaba Angelosi, "Time to Vote":



Let Freedom Ring

Update: for further reading, check out the link-around that I've posted at Potluck.

This post is linked at Atlas Shrugs! Thank you, Pamela!  
This post is recommend in  Larwyn's Lynx by Doug Ross @ Journal, thanks, Doug!
Bread Upon the Waters has terrific coverage of the South Sudanese vote for freedom and has also linked to this post. Thank you, Quite Rightly!